1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to diapers and, more particularly, to a novel, diaper and method whereby a pad of absorbent material is supported as an insert in a water-resistant inner shell, the inner shell being enclosed in a water-resistant, outer shell, the outer shell including a hook and loop fastener system along with elasticized leg openings.
2. The Prior Art
Diapers of one form or another have been known for many generations and are generally defined as a basic garment for human waste containment for infants and incontinent adults. A conventional diaper consists of a folded cloth or other absorbent material drawn up between the legs and fastened about the waist of the wearer. Historically, diapers were available in the form of a layer of cloth about one meter square. To produce a suitable diaper, the cloth was folded in any one of plurality of patterns to achieve the appropriate diaper size and then pinned with at least one safety pin to retain the diaper about the waist of the wearer. This entire process is fraught with problems not only in folding the diaper to the wrong size but also in injuries resulting from accidental punctures from the safety pin. Since the primary function of the diaper is to absorb urine and act as a catchment for feces, considerable effort has been made to reduce, or even eliminate, the natural revulsion one feels when required to change a diaper, particularly one containing feces. Cloth diapers also require the use of a separate, water-repellant cover to resist leakage of urine or even watery feces through the cloth fabric. The result of the foregoing is that within the past few decades there has been an explosive increase in the use of disposable diapers in both the pediatric and the adult settings. The primary driving force behind the wide acceptance of disposable diapers has been user convenience along with the aesthetics of easy disposability.
While convenient, disposable diapers represent not only a significant increase in cost but, more importantly, represent a major concern environmentally in that they constitute a significant portion of the solid waste stream. This, in turn, means that a significant portion of the landfill space is occupied by disposable diapers. Further, since a significant number of the disposable diapers contain feces, they also represent a threat to the environment through fecal contamination particularly due to the pathogens carried in most feces. One of the principal advantages to the use of cloth or reusable diapers is the fact that the human wastes are directed into the sewer system. However, a disposable diaper that uses less material in its construction without any corresponding decrease in its functionality will also prove to constitute a significant advancement in the art.
Numerous undergarments are known in the art and include, for example, a disposable combination panty and sanitary napkin as shown by Titone et al (U.S. Pat. No. 2,748,772). The panty portion includes a pocket-like crotch portion into which a sanitary napkin is enclosed during manufacture of the panty.
Blaufus (U.S. Pat. No. 2,754,824) discloses a diaper garment constructed from a sheet of moisture repellant material and having a pair of longitudinal pockets along each side and spaced an incremental distance apart. An absorbent pad is held in the pockets and receives waste deposited thereon.
Parravicini (U.S. Pat. No. 3,424,162) discloses an hygienic panty designed to be thrown away after use. Advantageously, a conventional cellulose material is used for the body portion of the panty while an insert of cotton gauze is used in the crotch portion of the panty.
Rickard (U.S. Pat. No. 3,599,638) discloses a disposable panty having a crotch construction adapted to receive a sanitary napkin, the sanitary napkin being replaceable without disposing of the panty so that the same panty can be used with several sanitary napkins.
De Woskin (U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,686) discloses a panty having a special crotch section adapted to hold a sanitary napkin snugly in place without fasteners or other attachments.
Tong (U.S. Pat. No. 352,356) discloses a urinary incontinence garment constructed with a panty-like configuration. A pouch inside the panty is adapted to receive an absorbent pad.
Davis (U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,342) discloses a variable-size, reusable diaper that utilizes a hook and loop fastener system to readily adapt the diaper to different wearer sizes.
Steer (U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,279) discloses a pair of incontinence briefs having a pocket located in the crotch region. An absorbent pad is removably inserted into the pocket.
Proxmire et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,656 discloses a disposable diaper having leg and waist gathers for form-fitting, self-adjusting disposable diapers.
Khan (U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,737) discloses a disposable diaper having a liquid impervious back sheet to which the absorbent padding is attached.
Cottenden (U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,594) discloses an incontinence garment having an absorbent pad sewn into the garment. The absorbent pad is enclosed in a liquid-impervious material and secured thereto by stitching that is carefully designed to preclude the capillary flow of urine along the stitching.
Van Gompel et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,757 and 4,940,464) discloses a disposable pant-like garment having a liquid pervious liner, a liquid impervious outer cover and an absorbent medium between the liner and the cover.
Mc Cloud (U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,736) discloses a reusable cloth diaper having a highly absorbent inner liner permanently attached at one edge to an absorbent panel.
Clearly, each prior art diaper and/or sanitary garment has its advantages and disadvantages. Accordingly, it would be a significant advancement in the art to provide a diaper and method that incorporates selected advantages from each system. It would also be an advancement in the art to provide a diaper that includes an absorbent pad suspended in an inner shell and enclosed within a water-resistant outer shell. Another advancement would be to provide a diaper having a removable liner to facilitate transfer of feces from the diaper to the toilet or other waste disposal facility. Such a novel diaper and method is disclosed and claimed herein.